Electric-arc lamp



(No Model.) 2 Sheets8he et 1. G. M. BALL.

ELBGTRIG ARC LAMP.

No. 268,850. Patented Dec. 12. 1882.

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(No Model.) ,2 Shets-Sheet 2.

O. M. BALL.

ELECTRIC ARC LAMP. No. 268,850. Patented. Dec. 12, 1882.

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Mm 657M270 770936050 UNITED STATES OLINTO} M. BALL, OF TROY, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND JOHN B. TIBBITS,

OF HOOSIOK, NEW YORK.

ELECTRIC- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,850, dated December 12-, 1882, Application filed March 20, 1882. (X model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CLINTON M. BALL, of Troy, in the county of Rensselaer and State of New York, have invented an Improvement in Electric-Arc Lamps, of which the followingis a specification.

In this improvement the weight of the carbon causes the revolution of a train of wheels and a friction-wheel, and I use a lever acted upon by the armature of an electro-magnet to form a stop to the train. Hence the moment the friction becomes insufficient to prevent the train of wheels revolving the carbon descends, and by adjusting the parts the friction is so I 5 proportioned to the electro-motive force acting in the magnet and lamp that the carbon is allowed to feed when the are between the carbons presents too much resistance in consequence of being too long.

In the drawings, Figure l is an elevation of the lamp with the lower portion partlyin section. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the gearing and lever, with the casein section; and Fig. 3 is an elevation at right angles to Fig.2; and Fig. 4 is a detached view of the lever, friction-wheel,

and magnets.

The frame of the lampis composed of a crossbar, a, having a base for thetrain of gearing, frames 1) b for such gearing, a top plate, 0,

0 with a tube, (1, or other suitable device for suspending the lamp. There should also be aremovable cylindrical case, f, for surrounding and protecting the gearing and helices. The side rods,g h, pass to the bottom cross bar, k,

5 that is provided with a ring, 6, below which is placed the removable cup m, with a helix, n, surrounding the lower-carbon holder 0, to which the armature 0 is connected. There is a spring to lift the armature and carbon-holder and rods and adjusting-nutsp to limit the upward movement. When there is not any current on the lamp the electro-magnet n is not energized; but when thecurrent passes through this helix n the armature is drawn down and 5 the are established. The upper-carbon holder e is in the form of a tube running axially through the tubular suspending device cl and through the top plate, 0, and cross-bar a. At one side of this carbon-holder is a rack, s,

which gears into a pinion of a train of wheels, t, the same being composed of any suitable number of pinions, shafts, and wheels, and terminating in a frictional disk or wheel, 12, so that as this carbon-holder descends by gravity the train of gearing will communicate to the 5 friction-wheel o a rapid movement. Hence when friction is applied to this wheel the train may be stopped and the carbon held in a fixed position. A ratchet-wheel and pawl, t allow the carbon-holder to be pushed up without the train of gearing being revolved backwardly.

I employ a lever, 3, with an armature, 4, and a finger, 5. The armatured is in proximity to the electro-magnet w, and the pivot 6 of the lever is in a slide-plate, 7, that can be adjusted and clamped in position to the frame. By this adjustment the pivot of the lever can be moved and the armature can be brought nearer to or farther from the core of the eleotro-magnet to, and in so doing the pressure of the fin- 7o ger against the friction-wheel can be varied, and the parts so positioned that when the proper current is passing through the helix of w to the lamp the finger will hold the train of gearing by friction on the wheel 11; but when the current lessens and the magnetism of w weakens the pressure of the finger on the wheel is lessenedsufficiently to allow the wheels to turn and the carbon to descend until the proper arc distance is restored.

By reference to Fig. 1 it will be seen that the side rod h is insulated both at top and bottom from the cross-bars. To this rod the hinding-post is attached, and from this a wire leads through the helix of w, thence to the frame a, and to the carbon-holder e and carbon, through the lower carbon and its insulated carbon-holder to the helix of the lower magnet, 12, thence by the removable cup or and lower crossbar, k, to the side rod g, which is 0 insulated at the top only, and to this the hinding-screw is attached. I introducea shuntcircuit between the plate 0 and this bindingscrew, the same passing through the helix of the electro-magnet a, the core of which comes 5 above the armature 4 of the friction-lever. This helix is of high resistance, and there may also be a rheostat, r, introduced in the same shunt-- circuit, so that but little current will pass through the shunt; but if the current at the light is interrupted or largely lessened, then the resistance-helix u in the shunt magnetizes its core powerfully and attracts the armature 4, so that the finger 5 is kept entirely away from the friction-wheel until the carbon runs down sufficiently to reestablish the main circuit.

It is usually best to employaeounter-weight, 20, to swing the finger 5 back out of contact with the wheel when the magnetism is lessened.

A spring and spring-barrel might be introduced with the train of gearing; but usually the Weight of the carbon and carbon-holderis snfficient to move the parts.

I am aware that a Wheel and brake have been employed to hold the carbon from descending by gravity; but as these act through a pinion directly on the carbon-holder, they are influenced by the varying weight of carbon, and are also liable to move too much in feeding the carbon. I make use of a train of accelerating-gearing, by which the friction-w heel receives a rapid motion in comparison to the movement of the carbon, so that the friction thereon requires to be very slight; and Iplace the armature of the friction-lever between the two opposing magnets, so that by adjusting the position of such armature in relation to the magnets the length of are between the carbons may be varied, the point at which the frictional let-otl operates being dependent upon the relative forces exerted in the main-line and shunt magnets.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, in an electric lamp, of a carbon-holder having a rack, a train of gearing and friction-wheel receiving motion from such carbon-holder, a lever and finger to act on such friction-wheel, two electro-magnetsone in the main circuit to the lamp and the other, of high resistance, in the shunt-circuitan armature upon said lever between the poles of the said electro-magnets, and an adjustable bearing for the fulcrum of the lever, substantially as set forth.

2. In an apparatus for feeding the carbon in an electric lamp, an electro-magnet in thecircuit to the lamp, a revolving friction-wheel to regulate the movement of the carbon, a lever to apply friction to such wheel, and an adj ustable bearing for the fulcrum of the lever, whereby the friction can be varied by adjusting the armature ot' the lever in its relation to the electro-magnet, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 11th day of March, A. l). 1882.

CLINTON M. BALL. Witnesses:

GEO. 'l. PINOKNEY, CHAS. H. Sm'rn. 

